the Surprise Party
by Dana Grayson
Summary: Please R and R: a little glimps into the mind of the daredevil we all know and love.


The surprise party  
  
By little Angel  
  
Disclaimer" Power rangers don't belong to me I just borrowed a couple of them for a little while. I'll put them back I promise.  
  
Summary: A Glimps into the past of the daredevil we all know and love.  
  
Author's note: the story takes place during Kelsey's senior year of high school.  
  
As she sat behind the wheel of the green neon Kelsey Winslow couldn't believe this. Glancing into the side mirror she could see that cars were backed up a quarter mile. Impatiently she glanced at her watch. She didn't have time for this. She had to meet Mom at home to set up for Brian's party.  
  
Peeking over in the passenger seat she saw that the bakery box was still relatively safe. She hoped he'd like it. The bakery had for once gotten the design right.  
  
Looking back at the still unmoving cars ahead and behind her Kelsey shifted the cake to have another look at the picture. Her lips quirked softly at the perfection of the little scene, the cute little baseball player stood in his red and white shirt with his cap on sideways. His stance was like Brian's had been, the tip of the bat barely touching the toe of his left sneaker. The grin was so cocky it brought to mind the time he'd stood just like that during try outs for the junior high's junior varsity team. He'd been so relaxed; it had been she who was the wreck. He was going up against some of the best players at Angel Grove Junior high. She felt a twinge of sadness then for all he'd had to go through just to make this birthday. Images of Dad's car after the wreck, Brian laying still in the hospital bed, and dad's funeral flashed through her mind and the old rage filled her once again. Kelsey wished not for the first time that that drunk driver had died for all the grief and trouble he'd caused their family. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that this was not the time for this. Besides Brian was the one who said that people make mistakes and deserved to be given second chances. Hadn't he been given one? Although it was not an easy one he was still alive and living. A little smile crossed her lips at how he'd bounced back. He'd gone from laying in the hospital bed wrapped like a mummy to playing baseball for the West Mariner Bay's high school team. Sure he had to have a pinch runner but he was Brian and as determined as anyone could be.  
  
Straightening in her seat she moved the bag back into place. Looking back at the river of cars still flowing out ahead of her in a steady stream she sighed and again glanced at her watch. It was almost five. Brian had practice until six so she still had time but she had to get to the store to pick up Brian's last present. It was the traditional present from dad. Even now after two years they were still doing it. Their mother had started that first Christmas after the accident. Their mom had said it was a way to keep their father alive and Kelsey found herself feeling a little better for it. Their mom always did know what to say or do. Even back then, In the midst of her own grief, Sausha Winslow had put her children first. With this turn of thoughts the air in the car seemed to thicken with a profound sadness. She vaguely wondered if dad was there. She could remember the last time she'd seen him, laying pale in the hospital bed most of his face covered by bandages and his limbs incased in casts. He'd looked so much like Brian had. The difference was that he'd not survived. Internal bleeding, they'd said it was internal bleeding.  
  
Shaking her head Kelsey forced those thoughts from her mind. This was  
to be a happy day and she'd not spoil it by going all gloom and doom  
now. Brian was alive and although he was in a wheelchair he was  
once again doing what he loved. That was all that really mattered  
after all.  
  
It was funny how love could add to the pull just enough to bring  
someone through tragedy. They'd pulled their mother through and in a  
way it had been Brian who'd pulled Kelsey through. It gave her a  
reason to look past her own pain. For him it had been them and the  
Baseball. The memory of how after the accident he'd used Baseball to  
get him through all that had followed flashed through her mind. How  
many nights had she and mom stayed up with him in the hospital room  
sorting through his baseball cards? She'd never seen so many cards in  
her life. Now his collection was in the thousands. You name it he  
had it. Yet they'd chose more cards for his birthday gift. Dad would  
have bought them for him if he'd been there. So it just made sense.  
That's what she was trying to pick up now, if she could ever get  
through this traffic.  
Idly she thought of dinner. They'd decided to have pizza from  
Denella's because it was Brian's favorite. Since it was his birthday  
it had to be perfect just like the cake and the presents. After all,  
16 was a big year for him. He'd beat all the odds and so it would be  
fitting.  
  
Kelsey felt hope kindle when at last the cars began to trickle  
forward. Maybe she'd make it after all. As long as she didn't  
run into anyone she knew at Wall mart.  
  
Again she thought of dinner, would Russ be able to pick it up in time? Being that Mariner bay was a tourist town and this was California the streets would be backed up. It would be typical for him to get caught in the mess. He had the worst luck. The very thought of her boyfriend made her smile, he was a spokesmen for Murphy's Law. If something could go wrong it happened to him. The nice thing about Russ Malone was he never let it get him down. He just joked about each mishap. Like the time he'd been cleaning out his parakeet's cage and the bottom had come off. As if that hadn't been bad enough the dumb bird had gotten itself stuck under the refrigerator. He'd not gotten angry just fished Sammy out and put him back in the cage. He'd been so cute; his nose specked with dirt, from where he'd scratched his head, his dark brown hair falling over his left eye, and his expression smug. Now she just hoped he'd be able to do this with out complications. She wouldn't have even asked but Mom didn't get off work until five and it took HER A HALF HOUR TO GET HOME. Russ had been given the task since the pizza place was a block from his house. Mentally crossing her fingers Kelsey checked the clock again ten minutes had passed. At this rate she'd get there next Tuesday, she thought annoyed. Why couldn't this just go smoothly? As if to spite her the traffic stopped completely.  
  
Deciding that maybe if she found some good music to listen to the time  
wouldn't seem so bad Kelsey flipped on the Radio. To her further  
annoyance she found only traffic reports that were too depressing.  
Checking to be sure they were stationary she took off her seatbelt and  
reached around into the back seat to grab her mother's Cd case.  
Sighing she looked through the out dated selection.  
Elvis Costello, the police, Loverboy, the Bangles?  
  
"How does she listen to this stuff?" Kelsey asked herself shaking her  
head. Finally she settled for the bangles and slid it into the  
player. Hitting skip until Manic Monday began she sat back to wait for the procession to once again inch along. She laughed aloud when the cars as if lifted from some wizard's spell began to move at a normal speed.  
  
Once the traffic started moving it didn't take Kelsey more than ten minutes to reach the discount department store.  
Inside was another storey however.  
  
Kelsey had to reframe from grinding her teeth in frustration as she pushed her way through the throng of shoppers. She didn't have to wonder why there were so many people there because everywhere she looked she found the March Madness Sale signs.  
Making her way to the Layaway counter she couldn't  
believe it, there had to be about fifteen people waiting in  
line and only one clerk scurrying to help the horde.  
  
"Why me?" Kelsey Muttered casting a helpless look heavenwards as she took her place in line. Carefully she pulled the envelope containing the receipt and the remaining balance of the bill from her purse.  
  
"What was that dear?" The voice startled Kelsey who quickly recovered.  
  
"Oh Hello Mrs. Davis." She said pasting on a cheery smile.  
  
"I thought that was you. Sausha told me you were running some errands for her this afternoon." She said adjusting her hold on her cart the retired teacher looked her up and down.  
  
Kelsey fought the urge to squirm, although Mrs. Davis had retired before Kelsey and her family had moved to Mariner Bay she still had those eyes, those all seeing, all knowing eagle eyes of a teacher. The first time she'd seen those particular green orbs was the second day they'd been in town. Kelsey had been unpacking Nicnacks in the small living room of their new house when the doorbell had rang.  
  
She sat down the small ceramic kitten she was unwrapping and went to answer the door. She opened the door to find the little old woman with her blue hair and those eyes looking her over.  
  
"So are you here to pick up a present for your brother's party?" Kelsey was brought back to the present with the words and managed to nod as if not missing a beat. She'd forgotten that her mother had told her that she'd invited their neighbor to the party. After all the woman had been Brian's history tutor for the last three months. And according to her mother that warranted an invitation to the party. Even if Kelsey didn't agree she knew that her brother liked the woman.  
  
"Mom had to work till five thirty so I said I'd pick it up." She told the older woman.  
  
"That's good you should help your mother out. Too many people your age don't even speak to their parents." The woman commented. Kelsey just turned and moved up in line. She noticed two more workers were now behind the counter and so with in minutes the line thinned down to only three more people in front of her.  
  
Relieved Kelsey glanced at her watch and noted that it was almost five thirty now. She again looked to the people still ahead of her in line and crossed her fingers. The drive home was a mere ten minutes but she still had to wrap the presents. She had the means in the car but the gift had to look just like when their dad had done it so that would take another ten minutes. If each of the other customers ahead of her took one minute and thirty seconds she'd just have enough time to get the box and race out to the car.  
  
"I hope my bus is on time." Mrs. Davis was saying and Kelsey was torn, she really didn't want to make the drive with her, she made her nervous but it would be the polite thing to do. After all it was a surprise party and if a guest was late things night not be perfect.  
  
"I have my mother's car Mrs. Davis I can give you a ride that way you won't be late." Kelsey offered with a polite smile.  
  
"Oh dear that would be lovely." the woman beamed and Kelsey had the feeling she'd just been conned. That was a thought she didn't have time to ponder, as her turn came.  
  
***  
  
"Kelsey don't drive so fast!" Mrs. Davis was scolding even as the neon pulled in the driveway in front of the two story house. Russ's car was parked in the grass to the right to leave room for hers and she could see her mom's car in the driveway and breathed a sigh of relief. It would all be alright.  
  
"Sorry but I don't want to be late." Kelsey said adding silently, "And if I didn't have to wrap your gifts and give you a ride I wouldn't even have had to worry."  
  
"True but safety first Miss Winslow." The retired teacher said and opened the car door.  
  
Kelsey was glad to see Russ coming out as she pulled the cake from the backseat.  
  
"You got the Pizza?" She asked as he kissed her cheek.  
  
"I told you I would." Russ replied shutting the front door for her.  
  
"Oh good you got it." Her mother said appearing then too and Kelsey nodded.  
  
"It was a close call." Kelsey said letting her mother take the cake.  
  
"Yes Sausha I'd advise you to teach your child not to speed." Mrs. Davis counseled as Kelsey turned pulling out the now colorfully wrapped gift.  
  
"I'll bet. Come on Matt called and they'll be here in." Sausha glanced at her watch as Kelsey moved to close the car door. "Four minutes." Kelsey slammed the door and they trooped up the walk.  
  
"Come on come on." Kelsey said knowing there was not enough time left to get the decorations up.  
  
To her surprise when she entered the game room Kelsey saw that they'd gotten most of the decorating done and frowned, she was supposed to do that. Who had had the time?  
  
"I got here a little early." She heard Russ say and glanced over at him. She managed to hide her surprise  
  
"You?" She didn't mean that the way it came out but he caught her off guard.  
  
"Ok so I'm not always on time, I have my good days." He grinned and there was no more time.  
Hurrying across the room Kelsey put down the gift with the others  
and moved to wait against the far wall of the room. Kelsey was surprised that she made it through all of this with out tripping.  
  
Kelsey heard it then, the key in the lock. Then the screech of wheels on linoleum. Her breath caught and this was it.  
  
"Mom?" Came Brian's call and she heard her mom stifle a giggle. Kelsey hoped he couldn't hear. Then the door cracked and.  
  
"SURPRISE!!!"  
  
The end 


End file.
